For the seventh consecutive year, the U.S. News & World Report has named the University of North Florida a “Best Regional” university in its 2018 edition of “Best Colleges,” which includes data from more than 1,800 colleges and universities nationwide and ranked 1,388 of them.
UNF ranked No. 18 as a “Top Public School” and No. 48, up four spots from last year, as a regional best in front of local private college, Jacksonville University, 52, and Florida Gulf Coast University, 73. Additionally, the University ranked No. 57 as a “Best Value School” and was ranked for students amassing the least amount of cumulative debt. All rankings are among regional universities in the South.
As a regional best, UNF ranked No. 48, up four spots from last year, in front of local private college, Jacksonville University, 52, and Florida Gulf Coast University, 73. Additionally, the University was ranked for students amassing the least amount of cumulative debt. Both rankings are among regional universities in the South.
“I take great pride in being able to lead a university that is of the caliber of the University of North Florida,” said UNF President John Delaney. “The University is showing up in nearly every national college ranking, putting UNF at the top of some very impressive lists.”
This latest recognition comes on the heels of UNF receiving several other national designations, including the national 2017 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from Insight into Diversity magazine, “Best Online Bachelor’s Program” from U.S. News & World Report, “Best College for the Money” and “Top Quality Overall Best Colleges” in the state by College Factual and “Best in the Southeast” by Princeton Review, to name a few.
The institutions selected as a U.S. News & World Report “Best Regional” university provide a full range of undergraduate majors and master’s programs and offer various doctoral programs. The universities in this category aren’t ranked nationally but rather against their peer group in one of four geographic regions—North, South, Midwest and West.
The 2018 “Best Colleges” rankings feature the established rankings of the Best National Universities and Best National Liberal Arts Colleges, while also including the Best Regional Universities, Best Colleges for Veterans, Best Value Schools, among many others.
The rankings are based on key measures of quality such as academic reputation; graduation and retention rates; faculty resources (including class size, the percentage of faculty with the top academic degree, student-faculty ratio); student selectivity; financial resources; and alumni giving. For more information about the rankings, click here.
U.S. News & World Report is a multimedia publisher of news, consumer advice, rankings and analysis. Focusing on education, health, personal finance, travel, cars and news and opinion, www.usnews.com has earned a reputation as the leading provider of consumer advice and analysis that helps its readers make informed life decisions.
university of north florida
Nominations Open for 2018 OneJax Humanitarians
The OneJax Institute at the University of North Florida is now accepting nominations for the 2018 Humanitarian Awards. The awards will be presented at a celebration dinner event on April 12, 2018. Since 1970, these prestigious awards have been the Jacksonville community’s way of honoring those who have given generously of themselves and have exhibited the highest personal and professional integrity.
Nominations are reviewed by a committee made up of OneJax board members and former honorees and are based upon the following criteria: a history of community service through long-term involvement in civic, religious, nonprofit or professional/business organizations, dedication to the improvement of human relations among diverse groups in the Jacksonville area, impeccable personal and professional integrity, sustained commitment to humanitarian ideals, history of placing humanitarian concerns above self-interest and realistic humility about his/her importance in the world.
There are two categories of awards that may be nominated by the community. The Silver Medallion honors those who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our community. The Dr. Gaston Acosta-Rua Young Professionals Award recognizes a young professional who is already making a significant impact on strengthening the community through their time, talent and treasure. The award is named for a founding NCCJ Board member (predecessor organization of OneJax) and Silver Medallion honoree who dedicated his lifetime to upholding the values of the organization.
Nominations must be submitted on the official nomination form available via the website. The form, along with a written statement detailing how the nominee meets the criteria, must be submitted by 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29. Any individual or group may submit a nomination of an individual they think worthy of being named a OneJax Humanitarian.
“The nominations we receive from the community are so important to the selection process,” said Nancy Broner, OneJax executive director. “We’re a big city with lots going on and many good people making a difference. Without members of the community to help identify potential Humanitarian Award candidates, these deserving people might not be recognized for their contributions. We encourage everyone to consider making a nomination.”
The 2018 Awards Dinner will mark the 48th year that people making a difference in the community have been honored. Previous honorees include Preston Haskell, Fran Kinne, Bob Shircliff, Madeline Scales Taylor, Audrey Moran, Frieda Saraga, Gwen Yates, Hugh Greene, Susan Greene, Rodney L. Hurst Sr., Dr. Parvez Ahmed and many others.
Since 2012, OneJax has been an Institute of the University of North Florida. Through education, community building and advocacy, OneJax Institute works to make Northeast Florida a better place for everyone by celebrating differences and identifying all we have in common. For more information, visit the OneJax website or call (904) 620-1JAX.
Supreme Court Justice Discusses ‘American Law and New Global Realities’ at UNF
The World Affairs Council of Jacksonville and the University of North Florida will co-host an evening with The Honorable Stephen G. Breyer, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 22, 2018, at the UNF Arena, Building 34. He will discuss “The Court and the World: American Law and the New Global Realities.” This event is part of the Presidential Lecture Series, supported by the UNF Foundation and co-hosted by the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville’s Global Issues Evenings.
Justice Breyer was nominated by President Bill Clinton as associate justice of the Supreme Court and took his seat in 1994. Between 1980 and 1990, he served as a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and as its chief judge from 1990 to 1994. He also served as a member of the Judicial Conference of the United States and of the United States Sentencing Commission.
In 1973, Justice Breyer served as an assistant special prosecutor of the Watergate Special Prosecution Force and as special counsel of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee between 1974 and 1975, serving as chief counsel of the committee from 1979 to 1980. In the mid-60s, he served as a law clerk to Justice Arthur Goldberg of the Supreme Court of the United States and as a special assistant to the Assistant U.S. Attorney General for Antitrust.
Prior to serving in the Supreme Court, Justice Breyer was an assistant professor/professor of law and lecturer at Harvard Law School for 27 years as well as a professor at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government for three years. Additionally, he was a visiting professor at the College of Law in Sydney, Australia, and at the University of Rome. He received undergraduate degrees from Harvard Law School, Stanford University and Magdalen College, Oxford.
Complimentary tickets are required for this Presidential Lecture. E-tickets will be available Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, at www.unf.edu/lectures or at (904) 620-2117. For those with a disability that require an accommodation, such as disability parking for this occasion, call (904) 620-2117 five days before the event to provide a reasonable accommodation for the event.
For more information, visit the World Affairs Council’s website at www.worldaffairscounciljax.org or UNF’s Distinguished Voices Lecture Series webpage at www.unf.edu/lectures.
This event is sponsored by the University of North Florida, Water Street Capital, Fleet Landing, The Haskell Company, Coastal Construction Products, Inc., William and Barbara Harrell, Association of Corporate Counsel North Florida Chapter, Corinne C. Hodak, P.A., Robert and Sallie Ann Hart and W. Radford Lovett II.
The UNF Presidential Lecture Series was established 20 years ago to bring speakers of national and global significance to the metro Jacksonville community. Past Presidential Lecturers include Nobel Peace laureates Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Oscar Aria, poet Maya Angelou, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, wildlife researcher Jane Goodall, Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, authors Frank McCourt, John Updike and Carl Hiaasen as well as presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, to name a few.
The World Affairs Council of Jacksonville is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization devoted to promoting understanding of world affairs by sponsoring public programs for all ages, fostering discussion of international issues and opportunities, and providing a venue for people to meet others with similar interests. Our mission is to promote an understanding of the world and its people and to engage citizens of Northeast Florida in becoming better informed participants in the global community.
UNF and MOCA Jacksonville Present ‘Lost Springs’ Project
The University of North Florida Lufrano Intercultural Gallery and Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, a cultural institute of UNF, will present the “Lost Springs” project in a series of exhibitions and events, beginning Thursday, Sept. 14, and running through Sunday, Dec. 31. The “Lost Springs” chronicles the tragic demise of the iconic springs of the Ocklawaha River in North Central Florida.
The UNF Lufrano Intercultural Gallery, located in the Student Union, Building 58E, on the second floor, will present the exhibition “Lost Springs of the Ocklawaha,” a collaboration between Gainesville painter/activist Margaret Ross Tolbert and St. Augustine-based environmental filmmaker Matt Keene.
“I’ve known Margaret Tolbert for many years and am thrilled to be mounting these exhibitions,” said UNF Gallery of Art Coordinator Jim Draper, who is curating the “Lost Springs” exhibition at UNF and MOCA. “This is a great example of an artist using their work to engage an audience in conversation about specific issues.”
This multimedia exhibition features images, sculpture and film of Cannon Springs and Tobacco Patch Springs created by various artists, including Tolbert, Keene, Karen Chadwick, Mark Long and others. The opening reception will be 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, in the Gallery and the exhibit will run through Tuesday, Oct. 24.
Tolbert is a tireless crusader who uses a brush as a weapon to fight for the rights of springs. In 1971, the ill-conceived Army Corps of Engineers project, the Cross Florida Barge Canal, was suspended by executive order, leaving the beautiful Ocklawaha River strangled by the Kirkpatrick Dam in Putnam County.
Every four years, the gates of the dam are opened for a few months, and the Ocklawaha is allowed to run free. During the low water, Tolbert paddles into these mysterious hidden places with her canvases and paints. “Lost Springs” memorialize the temporary emergence of Ocklawaha’s hidden springs.
There will also be an exhibition in the UNF Gallery at MOCA. “Margaret Ross Tolbert: Lost Springs” kicks off Saturday, Sept. 23, and runs through Sunday, Dec. 31.
“Tolbert’s investigation of the ‘Lost Springs’ promises to provide transformational opportunities, such as dialogues and accompanying programs, around this thought-provoking topic,” said MOCA Director Caitlín Doherty.
A reception will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, in the UNF Gallery at MOCA, and a special premiere of an accompanying film by Tolbert and Keene will take place at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. in MOCA’s Theater.
A screening of the film will also take place at 7 p.m. both Thursday, Sept. 28, and Tuesday, Oct. 3, and again at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, all in the Student Union Auditorium, Student Union, Building 58W, Room 2704, on the UNF campus.
In the documentary “Lost Springs,” Keene follows Tolbert as she experiences springs normally inaccessible due to the Kirkpatrick Dam in Putnam County. The film explores themes of loss, wonder and experience in nature as it follows the course of a drawdown of the dam’s pool, which happens every three or more years, exposing a submerged world normally hidden below the high waters of the dam.
Additionally, there will be a panel discussion featuring Tolbert and Keene, in conjunction with the UNF Environmental Center, about the springs from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, at the MOCA Theater.
All events are free and open to the public. Images and cutlines of Tolbert’s work on display at MOCA and at UNF are available here. Draper and Tolbert are both available for interviews.
MOCA Jacksonville serves the community and its visitors through its mission to promote the discovery, knowledge, and advancement of the art, artists, and ideas of our time. For more information, including hours of operation, admission prices, and upcoming exhibitions and programs, visit mocajacksonville.unf.edu or call (904) 366-6911.
UNF, a nationally ranked university located on an environmentally beautiful campus, offers students who are dedicated to enriching the lives of others the opportunity to build their own futures through a well-rounded education.
UNF Honoring Student’s Exceptional Service at Summer Commencement
The University of North Florida will honor a student with an outstanding record of volunteerism, when it hands out nearly 750 degrees Friday, Aug. 4, during summer commencement at the UNF Arena, Building 34, on campus.
Senior Angela Inciong, who is graduating this week with a bachelor’s degree in health administration, will be recognized as the recipient of the Senior Service Award, which is presented to a graduating senior for outstanding volunteer service to the University or community by the UNF Alumni Association. Inciong will be honored during the 2 p.m. ceremony.
Her foundation for service is based on an understanding that the most important thing she could share with others was her time. Inciong, an Arlington resident, actively sought out leadership roles on campus in the Health Administration Student Association and the Women in Business Society. It was through these opportunities that she developed a passion for influencing fellow students as well as encouraging their educational and professional development.
In the Health Administration Student Association, she was successful in building stronger relationships between UNF students and leaders of local health care organizations. Inciong also assisted Brooks College of Health Advising by welcoming groups of local high school students to campus, offering advice on how to become a successful college student.
In the community, she was active in C.A.M.P. Osprey, an innovative leadership mentoring program that pairs collegiate student leaders from the University with Duval County Public School students in grades 5 through 9.
“Angela demonstrated a win-win attitude in her commitment to the program,” said Dr. Matthew Ohlson, C.A.M.P. Osprey program director and assistant professor in the Department of Leadership, School Counseling and Sport Management. “She went above and beyond to meet expectations of not only the course but in achieving the goal of desiring to create a positive impact in her mentees.”
Inciong eventually became a C.A.M.P. Osprey lead mentor and worked with eight students at the River City Science Academy on a weekly basis, focusing on public speaking, time management and leadership skills.
The ceremony for the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction will take place at 10 a.m., while the ceremony for the Brooks College of Health, Coggin College of Business and the College of Education and Human Services will start at 2 p.m.
The University expects to award a total of 728 bachelor’s degrees, 185 master’s degrees and 17 doctorates this term. Including the summer 2017 graduates, UNF has issued a total of 72,934 bachelor’s degrees, 18,426 master’s degrees and 493 doctorates since first opening its doors in 1972.
Attorney and Artist Deborah Reid Discusses First Amendment/Copyright Law
The College of Arts and Sciences and the Pre-Law Program at the University of North Florida present Deborah Reid, attorney, artist and author, who will discuss copyright law and the First Amendment as it relates to the arts, in two separate lectures next month on campus. Both lectures will take place 12:40 to 4:10 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center, Building 45, Room 1200.
Reid, an accomplished artist and an AV-rated attorney with more than 36 years of experience, will discuss “That’s Not Fair!” Thursday, July 6. This illustrated lecture presents an overview of copyright law followed by a game-show format incorporating exhibits from actual court cases to illustrate the application of the Fair Use Doctrine in copyright law.
Her second lecture, “Art Speaks!,” will take place Tuesday, July 18. Reid will present an overview of the First Amendment and focus on its interaction with the arts. She’ll also explain the extension of protected speech status, obscenity, hate speech, graffiti, street art and limitations on public funding.
Reid, who is based in Jacksonville, is currently at work writing and illustrating a graphic primer on law, which provides an overview of contracts, intellectual property, First Amendment rights and other areas of the law that impact the arts.
This lecture is funded by the following endowments: Brown, Terrel, Hogan Pre-Law Endowment, Rutledge P. and Katherine R. Liles Lecture Fund, Maria Keebler Child Advocacy Fund and the Coker, Schickel, Sorensen and Daniel Endowment.
Both lectures are free and open to the public. For more information about this event, contact Dr. Jenny Hager, UNF associate professor of sculpture, at (904) 620-4687 or at [email protected].
UNF, a nationally ranked university located on an environmentally beautiful campus, offers students who are dedicated to enriching the lives of others the opportunity to build their own futures through a well-rounded education.
UNF Announces New Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement
After an internal search, the University of North Florida has hired Ann McCullen as the new vice president for University Development and Alumni Engagement and executive director of the UNF Foundation. She began her new position May 20.
“I am confident that with Ann’s extensive experience and leadership in development as well as alumni engagement in higher education, she will advance the University to the next level,” said UNF President John Delaney.
McCullen, a San Marco resident, will be responsible for providing vision and leadership to assist the deans and other University leadership in the planning, organizing and implementing of fundraising initiatives, including planned giving, annual giving, alumni engagement, capital and major campaigns, endowments, prospect research, scholarships and development funds. She will also serve as executive director of the Foundation, working closely with the UNF Foundation Board and will be responsible for the supervision of approved Foundation activities.
McCullen joined the University 14 years ago after serving as major gift director for Habitat for Humanity International in Americus, Georgia. She began her work with UNF as the director of development in the College of Arts and Sciences, where she served for four years. During this time, she obtained the University’s largest gift annuity and exceeded annual fundraising goals, averaging $1.5 million per year.
She went on to serve as the assistant vice president of development and campaign director. In this position, McCullen directed the campus-wide $130 million The Power of Transformation Campaign and led eight fundraisers in all five colleges. Between 2013 and 2014, McCullen served as interim vice president of development and executive director of the UNF Foundation. She was later promoted to associate vice president of development and campaign director, securing a $7 million gift to create the Hicks Honors College, the University’s sixth college.
McCullen has been very involved in the community, serving as a mentor in the Association of Fundraising Professionals, First Coast chapter and recently serving on the board of the World Affairs Council, Jacksonville. She also previously served as an evaluation team leader with the Women’s Giving Alliance, The Community Foundation, and as a board member with The Sanctuary on 8th Street for six years.
Police Athletic League of Jacksonville Forms UNF Partnership through OspreyPAL
The University of North Florida and the Police Athletic League of Jacksonville have entered a partnership to engage Jacksonville youth and put them on an academic pathway through the JaxPAL Teen Leadership Program with the establishment of the OspreyPAL program on the UNF campus.
OspreyPAL will provide JaxPAL youth in grades 6 through 12 with leadership, social and professional skills needed for the transition to adulthood as well as preparation for college and eventually the workforce.
“We’re thrilled and honored to partner with UNF for the OspreyPAL program. This program not only removes barriers that our JaxPAL teens face but also provides support for their next steps toward college and adulthood,” said Lt. Lakesha Burton, Police Athletic League of Jacksonville executive director. “It’s extremely gratifying to gain a community partner like UNF, positively impacting teens as well as developing them into the next generation of leaders in the community.”
Through OspreyPAL, UNF will facilitate opportunities for JaxPAL teens to experience college through immersive campus tours, academic engagement and participation in University activities throughout the year; provide these teens with ACT/SAT preparation courses; develop writing, public speaking and computer skills; provide faculty presenters at local JaxPAL teen meetings; and offer personalized cost of education advising to teens and their guardians.
JaxPAL teens who meet UNF admission and scholarship requirements will be eligible for an OspreyPAL Scholarship award. Four JaxPAL youth will be identified annually and awarded $4,000 per year for up to $16,000. These four-year renewable scholarships are designed to help students complete their degree at UNF and develop future community leaders.
“UNF feels our partnership with OspreyPAL is an outstanding way for students in Duval County to connect with the University and build both a solid academic and social foundation,” Students who go through the program develop skills in and out of the classroom that will serve them for the rest of their lives,” said Albert Colom, UNF associate vice president for Enrollment Services.
In order for OspreyPAL scholarship recipients to retain their award, they must maintain continuous enrollment at UNF, remain eligible for need-based financial aid, meet renewal criteria, serve as a JaxPAL teen program mentor and serve as an ambassador for UNF and JaxPAL.
The Police Athletic League of Jacksonville, Inc. (JaxPAL) is a 501(c)(3) youth-serving organization that provides afterschool, summer camp, athletic, teen leadership and mentoring programs to more than 2,400 youth annually. JaxPAL is unique among youth development programs because it builds respect, trust and friendship between youth and law enforcement officers through its strong, collaborative relationship with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. To learn more about JaxPAL, visit www.jaxpal.com.
UNF, a nationally ranked university located on an environmentally beautiful campus, offers students who are dedicated to enriching the lives of others the opportunity to build their own futures through a well-rounded education.
UNF Accounting Grad Top CPA Exam Performer/Elijah Watt Sells Award Winner
Patrick Kmieciak, who earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from the University of North Florida, is a top CPA exam performer and winner of the 2016 Elijah Watt Sells Award by the American Institute of CPAs. This is the first time a UNF graduate has been recognized with this national award.
“The faculty in the Department of Accounting and Finance are extremely proud of Patrick upon being named as a recipient of this prestigious award,” said Dr. David Jaeger, chair of the Department of Accounting and Finance at UNF. “This honor is well deserved and is the result of Patrick’s hard work and dedication, providing evidence of the high-quality students attracted to the accounting programs at UNF.”
Over 100,000 individuals sat for the exam in 2016 and only 58 candidates meeting the criteria received the Elijah Watt Sells Award. The award is bestowed upon CPA candidates who have obtained a cumulative average score above 95.50 across all four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination, passed all four sections of the exam on their first attempt and completed testing in 2016.
“The CPA Examination, along with the education and experience required, sets a high bar for entry into the profession. This serves to protect the public interest by ensuring that only qualified individuals earn a CPA license,” said Michael Decker, AICPA vice president of examinations. “On behalf of the AICPA, I’d like to congratulate this year’s winners of the Elijah Watt Sells award on their outstanding accomplishment and wish them the best of luck in their careers.”
Kmieciak, a downtown resident, is currently employed at PwC LLP, where he provides auditing services to private and public clients. While at UNF, he was a graduate and teaching assistant, teaching intermediate accounting classes as well as proctoring exams. In the fall of 2013, he began tutoring accounting and finance students and currently conducts private tutoring sessions on the weekend, which allows him to aid students and stay close to the University.
Kmieciak is a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Gamma Sigma. He was on the President’s Honor Roll between fall 2013 and summer 2016, earning a 4.0 GPA every semester for three years. In 2015, he scored in the 99th percentile on the Coggin College of Business exit exam and the 97th percentile on the Graduate Management Admission Test.
The Elijah Watt Sells Award program was established by the AICPA in 1923 to recognize outstanding performance on the CPA Examination. Sells, one of the first CPAs in the U.S., was active in the establishment of the AICPA and played a key role advancing professional education within the profession.
UNF Receives Platinum-Level Skin Smart Campus Designation
The University of North Florida was awarded the platinum-level Skin Smart Campus designation by the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention and will implement a campus-wide skin cancer prevention initiative this month as part of National Skin Cancer Awareness month.
The Indoor Tan-Free Skin Smart Campus Initiative was started in response to the 2014 U.S. Surgeon General’s call to action to prevent skin cancer, which emphasized indoor tanning and unprotected sun exposure as significant health hazards that increase the risk of melanoma and other skin cancers.
“Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the country, with 20 percent of the population likely to develop skin cancer in their lifetime and an annual treatment cost well over $8 million. Even more tragic is that skin cancer is mostly preventable by avoiding indoor tanning and reducing sun exposure,” said Dr. Julie Merten, assistant professor of public health in the Brooks College of Health at UNF.
An Indoor Tan-Free Skin Smart Campus demonstrates a commitment to skin cancer prevention and the ongoing health of its students. UNF is committed to keeping indoor tanning machines off campus, educating students, faculty and staff on the dangers of indoor tanning as well as providing sunscreen samples in common University areas.
The universities recognized by this award have demonstrated a commitment to skin cancer prevention and the ongoing health of its students. Platinum-level universities don’t list any off-campus housing that includes indoor tanning as an amenity on the university’s off-campus housing listings website, doesn’t permit any indoor tanning salon to be included as a university-affiliated debit card merchant and provides access to educational programming focusing on the risks of UV exposure and skin cancer prevention practices to students, faculty and staff.
“Many colleges just don’t seem to realize the importance of this issue,” said Dr. Sherry Pagoto, Skin Smart Campus Initiative co-chair. “They don’t view the health hazards for indoor tanning and unprotected sun exposure as significant like they do tobacco.”
Despite the known risks, indoor tanning is common among adolescents and young adults, with 37 percent of white adolescent females and 11 percent of adolescent white males having used indoor tanning facilities at least once in their lifetime. Additionally, early research suggests that indoor tanning has addictive properties, and that the risk of addiction is higher for individuals who begin tanning at an earlier age.
